Challenging Church Compassion – 06: Chased Away “J”

Challenging Church Compassion – 06: Chased Away “J”

Lamb of God

The following is a very sad story about the emotional abuse instead of compassion coming from the church that eventually chased away this woman.

“I worked for the Catholic Church for six years, and didn’t see any movement to defend animals. The parish I worked at was one of the largest in the archdiocese and all I witnessed was just a blatant disregard for all animals. So thankful I am no longer working there because it was such a struggle. I eventually quit attending staff luncheons. I was always mocked because I brought my own food, and countless comments about me being too sensitive…and didn’t I know that God gave us animals to eat?

It didn’t help with the pastor being an avid hunter, and bragging about it. One staff meeting he started out telling everyone how excited he was because the first day of doe season he was saying the rosary and on his fourth Hail Mary one came out and he shot her. Everyone clapped and thought it was great. I was heartsick. Unfortunately the behavior I witnessed in those very long six years is the norm.”

Did they really want this woman to be chased away?

If the church thought this woman was just too sensitive because she loved animals and didn’t eat them, or even thought that such sensitivity as hers was being weak in faith, which it was not, and they continued to mock and belittle her, and flaunt their killing escapades before her, they were actually sinning against Christ, as we are told in 1 Corinthians 8:11-13.

11. For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died.

12. And thus, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

13. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble.
NASB

In actuality, these church members and pastor were showing and expressing their hardness of heart and lack of compassion for this woman’s sensitivity and compassion.

Instead of doing everything in their power to free creation from its present corruption, they contributed to it, and in the process chased away this woman.

This woman was the one who was living as a child of God who no longer wanted to contribute to the corruption of creation, including all of His created human beings and other animals.